Saturday, June 28, 2008

Tiger's got a brand new love, and it comes in the form of shoes. Not just any old shoes but the shoe section of what is rapidly becoming one of the most popular (and profitable) online retailers.http://www.asos.com

The site is 8 years old which in techie years is like 100, and "asos.com is the UK's largest online fashion and beauty store, attracting over one million visitors a week. With over 9,000 products available and 500 new lines added each week, asos.com is the online shopping destination." So now you know. That's a lot of moolah.

So I regularly have a look to see what's going on in the world of fashion and I noticed with increasing regularity I was drawn to their shoe section. Cos holy moly, they've got some mighty fine shoes on that site. And while their introduction of premium brands means their price range has shot up, their own brand shoes go for about £20-50 which is fabulous.

And while I'm on how fabulous they are, let me also just add they stock a really good selection of lesser known quirky brands like Poetic Licence, Irregular Choice, Kate Kuba, Strutt Couture, L'Autre Chose...all of which are perfect for when you want something a little different. But they also have a really good selection of high street faves such as Bertie, Nine West, Carvela and Kurt Geiger.

Foot Fetishists and Shoe lovers....this ones for you.

BLACK AND BEAUTIFULFrom Left to Right:

Asos snake effect gladiator platforms £35The gladiator is so hot it hurts (still, yes) and platforms work their leg lengthening magic on the shortest pins around, a bit of black leather (snakeskin at that) is undeniably sexy.

Asos leather contrast round toe £45A quirky take on the classic black t-bar round toe, these shoes were made for dancing.

Asos leather contrast heel £50Love these. So simple, so stylish. Its that unexpected pop of colour on the heel that takes these round toes from Blah to Bank (Bank = looking the money). And yes I know they're not black, the black ones have a yellow heel, but I preferred these ones.

THE BUFF BEAUTIESBuff as in nude, nude as in the colour (yes I've got my clever hat on today)From Left to Right:

Asos luxe stud & sequin £75I'm not normally a fan of so much embellishment on shoes as I'm very wary of bits of it falling off with every step you take. But I think the shoes and the embellishment being from such a sophisticated, stylish and innately glam colour family make these one of my favourite of the bunch

Asos contrast patent peep toes £25These are the perfect day to evening shoes. The kitten heel makes them supercomfy for schlepping around by day, and the peep toe displaying a surprisingly sexy amount of toe cleavage and the cut away back, makes them superstylish by night.

FABULOUSLY FEMININEThey are aren't they?From Left to Right:

Asos ribbon front ankle strap sandal £30You can't quite see it from the picture but these little beauties have a peep toe and the medley of candy colours makes them the perfect summer choice as they will go with everything.

Asos satin rose platform shoe £40Love them or hate them, there's no missing these shoes when they step in the room propping up their owner. A true statement shoe.

Asos peep toe platform £25Pretty in pick but also available in other colours, peep toe platforms are a wardrobe essential and the little bow at the side of these adds a little quirky touch.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Can't be easy having the world most famous where's-the-party-at supermodel for a Mum but little Lila Grace is just adorable!

This is one of the first pics I've seen of her since she was a baby as her mum either never takes her out or is very good at shielding her from the paps.....Anyway, here they are at Leah Wood and Jack Macdonald's wedding in London. Too cute!

There's a new love of mine that I feel compelled to share now its summer.

I've been keeping this one to myself as its not exactly cool...but you know how it is, when you find something really, really good. You just can't keep that ish to yourself.

Now I urge you to read this with an open mind!

ladies, my second pair of Crocs have just made their way into my wardrobe (collective intake of breath). Before you start thinking I've totally lost the plot, I don't mean those vile faux clog ones that are fabulous on children and pure carnage on anybody else. Don't think those PLASTIC ballet pumps are fooling anyone. And don't even say Jibbits near me if you're over 5.

I'm talking about the Crocs flips flops. The Capri to be precise. (see that? they knew that had to come up with a pretty name to lure the likes of you and me in)

I mean the most comfortable flip flops my feet have ever know. And my feet know flip flops. Around the house or popping out for a walk, my faithful flips flips are always flipping on my feet.

Don't like to blog about the same person too much (unless its the cast of SATC) but I was asked about Solange's outfit at the BET awards last night so here we go.

Cute dress. Very cute dress. Love it. I'd wear it. (maybe...I'd need to see it up close) But lose the feathery bag...I know SJP rocked one in SATC but these things often look different on the silver screen and not everything is for everybody. I love crazy shoes but you don't need to put crazy shoes with such a statement outfit. Tone it down my love and you'll be onto a winner.

Not so bad. But if I was her stylist, I'd pin some of that hair back, lose the necklace (which you can barely see anyway), lose the bag and change the shoes. Some simple Louboutin pumps and a classic clutch would work much better.

OMG...just saw the nails. That is the height of wackness. Or just Ghetto. Yeah, I said it.

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. W e plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I have a blog so I think it goes without saying I love my computer...and I've noticed in this increasingly tech world we live in people are becoming more and more attached to their laptops.

And there's something about all the candy coloured laptops hitting the market that makes me want an upgrade.

And yes, its is primirily an aesthetic choice. They've all got good memory etc etc. For the relevant details just hop on over to the Dell site or the Sony site and they can answer all your tech questions.

Which do you like the most?

The espresso dell?

The ruby red dell?

Look really closely and you can see this is a black croc Sony Vaio...yay or nay?

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.....look at the fabulosity that Sony have churned out now....I think I know where my money could be going.....

And with the global heatwave going on at the moment, why not do your bit and raise temperatures just a little bit more.

Did I say hot? Let me introduce the Black halo Keyhole Ruffle dress. This is definitely my favourite of the collection and it has MOI written all over it in capital letters. You just know it would fit like a dream and did I say uber-friggin-hot? It also comes in a very dark grey and black but I kinda like this one the most. And quite frankly I defy anybody to upstage you in this fabulosity. At $345 it requires a little thought, and a serious event. Maybe I'll just get married in it....

This is the Jackie dress and its been a hot favourite with celebs and fashionistas since it hit the stores. The simplicity, the asymmetry, the belted waist. Me likey. $345.

Oh they just had to take it up a notch by hiking up the hemlines. As a short dress fan, now, this is what I'm talking about. And as there's a little less fabric the kind souls have taken an extra $20 off the knee length Jackie price so its $325.

The classic black Jackie O dress (pictured left), chicly updated with body-conscious lines and boldly feminine ways. Asymmetrical draped neckline and shoulder flanges create interest, and while its definitely reminiscent of Roland Mouret's Moon dress(pictured right)...at $325 its more affordable than his was at a stonking $2125.

See the pleated detail at the bodice? Love it. Love it. And one more time for good measure...love it.

You know what? I'm going to have to try one of these babies on. Then make an early Xmas present request. That's the deal with expensive things. Always so much nice as gifts! ha ha ha ha.

No not really. I'm a big fan of work hard and spend that hard earned cash on things that make you feel/look even more fabulous than you already are. I tend to appreciate the things I buy myself a little bit more. As I mentioned earlier in the year I'm saving up for my Louboutins and I think I'll add this to my list. With the nature of my job, I think they'll both be part of my post-xmas loot. And I for one, cannot wait! This Xmas at Tiger Tem will most definitely be our best one yet....and what's a lot of hard work without any rewards? So Black Halo, keyhole ruffle, you're mine I tell you. Mine.

If not, here's my pick of the best shoes that have been 'inspired' by Dior.http://www.bakersshoes.comThese pair come in at a fabtastic $70. I prefer them in tan but the black are obviously much closer to Carrie's.

Friday, June 13, 2008

There’s a new trend that’s been hotting up on the horizon. The super-long uber-soft Italian linen blend scarves from Love Quotes.

It takes a lot for a scarf to penetrate my fashion mindset right now, mainly as I have A LOT. If I was to count I’m sure I’m talking like 20.

But I digress, there’s something about the Love Quotes that caught my attention.I love the length. 37 inches wide and a whopping 72 inches long (that’s 6ft). I love those really really long scarf, so stylish, so elegant, so versatile. When its warm, just let it hang down to your knees. When its cold, your neck and ears will be so well insulated. And you know it would be perfect for planes.

The fabulous candy hued kaleidoscope colours all have supercute names like Coco Shell, Cherry Pie, Glow, Sunshine that is almost enough to make me want to buy one. (Oh who am I kidding, I’m sure I’ll have one by the end of the week).

The ‘inspirational quotes’ they come with would probably annoy me, that type of thing often does.

“We can do no great deeds-only small deeds with great love." -Mother Theresa

“Once you love someone, they stay in your heart forever." -Anonymous

Pur-lease. …quote, schmote. Mr & Mrs Love Quotes, if you want to reel me in with quotes, you need to work harder for my love. But I won’t let something like that put me off.

They’re a fabulous bit of A-List style as they’re often seen on the likes of Hilary Duff, Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Nicky Hilton, and Ashlee Simpson.

Oh and just in case I haven’t suckered you in yet with all that, they go and tell you that 10% of proceeds are donated to international children’s charities.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

So as you might have noticed I'm something of a Sarah Jessica Parker fan. She was very involved in the creation and development of Sex & The City which is probably my favourite TV show. Ever. And yes I can say that with such confidence as I really don't watch that much TV.

I remember being beside myself with excitement when I heard she was launching a clothing line. I love her style, her personal style is more conservative than Carrie Bradshaw's but she still knows how to work it. She's not classically beautiful but the way she dresses and comes across makes her seem damn attractive. Which is why I think women like her so much, she shows us all how to be attractive when you're not classically beautiful. Rather handy.

For the most part, I'm not a fan of these celebrity faux collections. We love your acting/singing but that doesn't make you a designer. Kate Moss was smart enough to just hand over the keys to her wardrobe and instruct TopShop to 'copy' whatever she'd been photographed in most. That's why her line is one of the very few that has worked...no designing involved. (But really, why did brand director Jane Shepherd leave so soon after Kate arrived?)

So when I was set to go to America, checking out Bitten was definitely on my list of priorities. Had a look at the website..Not bad.

I found out it was carried by a store called Steve & Barry. Never heard of them before (and I know my shops, I make a point of researching shops). And their store was a little out of the way in the city I was in but off with my map I went.

Everything in her line is under $20. Yes UNDER $20. Now that does sound like a good thing but I'm growing a little more wary with time of this cheaper and cheaper trend with retailers. Somebody somewhere is always paying the price...aren't they?

But with a tagline like "Fashion is not a luxury. Its a right". I was all set to be smitten by Bitten.

Steve and Barry's looks like a giant loft/warehouse. Kinda like the Urban Outfitters in Kensington but not as nice. I made a beeline straight for the Bitten collection.

Oh my. Hmmm. Er. Well. Hmmm. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough. Ok, sizing issues abound was my first observation. I'm a US 2 and I could barely find anything in my size. But that's just luck of the draw. (I do think its good that the collection is from a Size 2 - 22.) The place was a little haphazard and disorganised looking. Hate that. But I love SJP so onwards I went. Distinct lack of quality, and nothing that looked especially reminiscent of SJP's style. It was just a selection of very ordinary basics. With astoundingly low prices yet, but with such poor quality...what's the point?

I've seen Bitten and I definitely wasn't smitten. I understand that she wanted to go cheap and cheerful but its tooo cheap and not at all cheerful. Being as much of a SJP fan as I am, I was very disappointed but got a tshirt as I'd really gone out of my way to find the stuff. I think it would have worked a lot better if she'd gone for a more Kate Moss line and maybe collaborated with Forever 21 or someone with a bit more presence than Steve and flippin Barry.

I understand that being cheap makes your range accessible to a much wider range of shoppers but a balance needs to be struck. And I'm hating this cheap cack that retailers keep churning out thinking a low price tag is enough to seduce shoppers. You have to work a little harder than that for my love.

So I've decided that I'm going to shop BETTER. You can either buy 6 $20 dresses that will probably do a bit of shape shifting and colour bleeding in the wash, or you can hold out for a much nicer dress for $120 that's bound to stick around a lot longer.

I don't like Primark. There. I said it. Provocative statement I know. But I intrigued by the launch in the UK and the low prices, but the one jumper I bought the one time I went was itchy and scratchy and then after one wash never looked the same. What do you expect when you pay £7. Not a lot. Reminds me of the time I bought some no frills chicken from Tesco, and I was sick for days. No joke. Gimme Sainsbury's Taste The Difference any day.

But with time I've started to pay less attention to disposable fashion as my closet is slowly but surely gasping for air, I refuse to stuff it any fuller with stuff that doesn't last. The lazy man and the stingy man walk the same road twice so instead of constantly updating my wardrobe at the speed of knots with the cheap stuff, I'm going to slow my roll and focus on the slightly nicer stuff. Shops like Massimo Dutti, Zara, and a whole heap of independent collections now tickle my fancy a whole lot more. And I love to cruise the sale racks. Especially the department store shoe sections. You'd be surprised at how much the fancy stores want your money come sale time. Meeting me halfway? That's much more my kind of love.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Haven't done one of these for a while and these three feminine fancies caught my attention.

First up we have this fabulous LBD from Paul & Joe. The Palais silk belnd dress reduced from $350 to $245 on I'm loving that label a little more day by day. And in case you didn't know they've launched a younger, more budget friendly line called Sister. Nice work.

I'm in all types of love with these Chloe strappy shooboots. The taupe patent leather, the croc detail on the heel....ooh. $745. Oh.

And this is something of an iconic bag from B Romanek. Its 100% genuine crocodile (animal rights activits look away now) and at $2195, quite a lot for such a little clutch but you know what? I love it.

Ok, I've done it again, its all pricey stuff. BUT the aim is to inspire and aspire myself and YOU. Inspire you to emulate these looks and aspire to own the real deal one day.